Rotary inking mechanism



Feb. 25, 1941. N DURHAM 2,233,076

ROTARY INKING MEGHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1939 2 sheets-#sheet 1 ENTOR/ WLMFeb. 25, 1941. H, .g DURHAM 2,233,076

ROTARY INKING ECRAN-ISM FiledJan. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www'.

WUBWENTOR TToRNEYs vis Patented Feb. 25, 1941 PATENT oFFICE `2,233,676jm ROTARY INKING MEcnaNIsrvr Hobart N. Durham, Manhasset, N. Y.,assignor to The Goss Printing Press Company,v Chicago, Ill., a`corporation of Illinois.V

Application January 2s, 1939, seriaiNo. 253,244

6 Claims.

The invention relates tonew and useful improvements in inkingmechanismsfor fast rotary printing presses, andmore particularlyito suchimprovements in the actuating means for the vibrator drums of suchrotary inking systems.

Objects and advantages of the inventionwill be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, ormay be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the linstrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims. l

The invention consists inthe novel parts, constructions, arrangements;combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

Of the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a verticalsection through apart of a rotary inking mechanismembodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section on line 2-2 of Fig; 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail section on line `3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the rotary fluid pressure controllingvalve.

Objects of the invention are to provide novel, simple, strong `andefficient `vibrating vmeans for certain of the ink distributing andtransferring rollers or drums of a rotary printing press inking system;to avoid thecomparatively complicated and power consuming mechanicalvibrating mechanisms heretofore generally in use and to substitutenovel, simple and direct-acting fluid pres-sure actuating means;` to.provide reversible fluid pressure actuating means to vibrate an ink drumand means actuated by the rotating and vibrating shaft for reversing"said actuating means;` to provide fluid pressure actuation for thevibrator drums or rolls which is operable from or in conjunction withthe pressure lubrication sys-tem `in use on modern rapid rotary presses;to provide novel and efficient particular mechanisms for applying fluidpressure actuation to the vibrator drives of rotary presses. With theseand other objects in View, the rotary and vibratable drums or rollers ofthe inking system have at one end an elongated shaft which extendsbeyond its bearing in the press frame, a cylinder is fixed to the pressframe, the shaft yextension passing concentrically `therethrough andprojecting beyond the outer end of the cylinder. A piston within thecylinder'is mounted on the shaft,` the `piston being xed againstlongitudinal movement relatively to the shaft, but at the same time freerotation of the'shaft within the (Cl. lill-35.0)

piston is permitted, whereby the piston, under the drive `of thepressure fluid, moves the rotating shaft to and fro longitudinally so asto impart the desired combined rotational and vibratory, orreciprooatory movement to the inking drum or like member. Valve meansare provided for causing a difference in fluid pressure to beValternately created on the opposite sides to the piston, the valve meansbeing reversed at the end of the stroke directly from the reciprocatingshaft. It will be understood that the foregoing general description andthe following detail description as well are exemplary and explanatoryof the invention, but are not restrictive thereof.

In the embodiment of the invention herewith exemplarily illustrated, itis shown applied to a known form of rotary printing press inkingmechanism, which comprises a plurality of rotary ink distributing drumsand ink transfer rollers located between the ink fountain and the forminking roller, certain of these rot-ary members, usually the ink drums,being axially reciprocated or vibrated in addition to their rotarymovement. These members are usually rotated by gearing driven from thepress drive. As here shown, axially vibratable ink drums l and 2 havetheir'respective shafts 3 and 4 journalled in the press frame 5. Afountain roller 'l and a ductor roller 6 are also fragmentarily shown.As here embodied the shaft 3 or 4 of the axially vibratable drum isjournalled in a bushing II mounted in the side frame 5 of the press.(Only one shaft and actuating mechanism will be described.) The bushingat its outer end terminates in an integral, flat circular plate I2,which constitutes part of the fluid pressure actuated vibrating means aslater described. The shaft 3 extends for some distance beyond the sideframe 5 of the press. Mounted on the press frame concentric-ally withthe shaft 3 is a cylinder I5, the inner end of which is formed by theplate I2 previously referred to. The end I6 of the cylindrical wall setsinto and -makes a seal joint with an annular shoulder in the plate I2,and terminates in a ange Il which is fastened to the pres-s frame byscrew bolts `I8. The outer head I9 of the cylinder is centrallyapertured, the shaft 3 projecting through' and beyond it, the valveactuating means being connected to the exterior end of `the shaft.

Surrounding the shaft 3 on the exterior of the cylinder head I9 is apacking gland 23,`and a similar gland 24 surrounds the shaft 3 at theinner end of the bushing II. The sleeve II receives lubricating oil fromthe cylinder and this drains out into the general lubricating systemthrough drainage passage 25. Within this cylinder I5 is a piston 28,mounted in xed axial relation on the shaft 3 while permitting freerotation of the shaft, whereby the pressure alternately applied to theopposite sides of the piston will act to reciprocate or vibrate therotating shaft. As embodied, within the cylinder, two collars 29 and 30are mounted in spaced-apart relation on the shaft 3, and are held infixed position by clamping screws 3| and 32. On the adjacent sides ofthe collars 29 and 30 are antifriction bearings 33 and 34, one of theraceways of each bearing being set into the piston 28, the shaft therebybeing free to rotate Within the piston, but the piston carrying theshaft and drum with it in its reciprocatory movement under the action ofthe pressure fluid.

So far as concerns certain features of the in.

vention, any form of valve mechanism forreversing the action of thepressure fluidin the cylinder may be employed. As embodied, a rotaryvalve 4| is mounted in a block 40 which is bolted to the cylinder block.Valve 4I is interposed between the pipe 42, which supplies the pressure.fluid, and two conduits 43 and 44, conduit 43 communicating with theouter end'of the cylinder I5, and conduit 44 communicating with theinner end of the cylinder, the partial rotation ofthe Valve supplyingthe pressure fluid alternately at either side of the piston I5. Valve 4Iis held longitudinally in place in the block 4l) by a collar 39 at oneend and a flange 6I at the other end. Rotary valve 4| has an internallongitudinal aperture 38, closed at one end by a screw plug 3l. Thevalveis supplied with a plurality of ports 45 in line with the pipe 42,located to receive the pressure fluid at all angular positions of thevalve 4|. The valve has also a plurality of ports 48 positioned toconnect the interior aperture 38 of the valve alternately with theconduits 43 and 44, to supply the pressure fluid alternately to the twoends of the cylinder as described. The means for allowing fluid to flowfrom the two ends of the cylinder I5 comprise conduits 53 and 54 lyingparallel to the intake conduits 43 and 44, the conduits 53 and 54 havingexhaust ports 55 and 56 for exhausting the used pressure fluid from thecylinder. In the outer surface of the valve 4I are two elongated ports5'! and 58, port 5l serving to connect the conduit 43 with the conduit53 of their exhaust stroke and port 58 serving to connect the conduits44 and 54 on their exhaust stroke.

The embodied means for imparting reciprocatory partial rotation to valve4| is connected to the ink drum shaft, and is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Atone end of valve 4| is an annular flange 6I which is external to thevalve housing. The flange has an arcuate cut-out portion 62 in which isa pin 83, fixed to and projecting from the valve housing, and limits theamplitude of movement of valve 4|. Fixed also to the flange 6I andprojecting outwardly therefrom is a pin 66, which is within an opening6l in a lever 68, which lever is pivoted on a pin 69, mounted in thevalve housing. A spiral tension spring 68' is connected to a vpin lil,xed on said lever 68, and to a pin 10', fixed in the valve housing, thespring tending to hold the lever 68 at either side of the center ofamplitude. On theexterior end of the shaft 3 is a pair of collars 'I3and 'I4'and a pin I5`xed in ithe'l'ever 88 projects into' the spacebetween the collars. Just as the shaft approaches the end of its travelin one direction, it moves the lever B8, which after passing over thecenter is snapped by the spring 68', and due to the play in opening 61moves to the opposite position, and thereby imparts to Valve 4| therotation required to reverse the pressure in the cylinder I5.

In presses employing pressure lubrication, the

pipe 42 may be connected to the oil pressure system, and the exhaustports may return the oil to that system or be led to a bearing to be'lubricated. A housing I9 enclosing the entire mechanism is provided.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefromdistributing rand transferring members, one ory more of said membersbeing also axially vibratable, a rotary and vibratable inking memberhaving a shaft journalled in the press frame, a pis- .ton held againstaxial movement on said shaft, a

cylinder in which the piston reciprocates, reversible valve means foralternately creating a difference in fluid pressure on the oppositesides of said piston and means actuated by said axially moving shaft forreversing said valve means.

2. In a rotary printing press inking mechanism comprising a plurality ofcooperating rotary ink distributing and transferring members, one ormore of said members being also axially vibratable, a rotary andvibratable inking member having a shaft journalled in the pressframe,antifriction bearings mounted in xed position onv said shaft, a pistonmounted in said bearings to move axially with the shaft, there beingfree relative rotary movement between the piston and shaft, a cylinderin which the piston reciprocates, reversible valve means for alternatelycreating a difference in fluid pressure on the opposite sides of saidpiston and means actuated by said axially moving shaft for reversingsaid valve means.

3. In a rotary printing press inking mechanism comprising a plurality ofcooperating rotary ink distributing and transferring members, one ormore of said members being also axially vibratable, a rotary andvibratable inking member having a shaft journalled in the press frame,spaced-apart collars fixed to said shaft, thrust bearings between saidcollars and a piston between said bearings, a cylinder in which thepiscomprising a plurality of cooperating rotary ink distributing andtransferring members, one or more of said members being also axiallyvibratable, a rotary and vibratable inking member having a shaftjournalled in and projecting out from the press frame, a cylinder fixedon said frame concentrically with said shaft, a piston in the cylindermounted in fixed axial relation on the shaft, the piston and shaft beingin free rotative relation, reversible valve means for alternatelysupplying fluid under pressure to and allowing it to flow from the endsof said cylinder and means,

actuated by said axially moving shaft for reversing said valve means.

5. In a rotary printing press inking mechanism comprising a plurality ofcooperating rotary ink distributing and transferring members, one ormore of said members being also axially vibratable, a rotary andvibratable inking member having a shaft journalled in and projecting outfrom the press frame, a cylinder fixed on the exterior side of the pressframe concentrically with said shaft, the shaft extending through andprojecting beyond the cylinder, a piston in the cylinder mounted in xedaxial relation on the shaft, reversiblevalve meansforalternatelysupplying uid under pressure to and allowing it to flowfrom the ends of said cylinder, and means connected to said shaftinternally to said cylinder and actuated by the axial movement of theshaft for reversing said valve means.

6. In a rotary printing press inking mechanism comprising a plurality ofcooperating rotary ink distributing and transferring members, one ormore of said members being also axially Vibratable, a rotary andVibratable inking member having a shaft journalled in the press frame,reversible fluid pressure actuated means for vibrating said shaft andmember, and means actuated by the rotating and Vibrating shaft forreversing said uid pressure actuated means.

HOBART N. DURHAM.

